Latest revision as of 23:32, February 27, 2012

His Beatitude Timothy III Salofacioius of Alexandria, an adherent of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, was the Patriarch of Alexandria of the Church of Alexandria for two periods: from 460 to 475 and from 477 to 481. The split in his reign was the result of emperor Basiliscus' directed return of Timothy II Aelurus, a non-Chalcedonian, to the patriarchal throne.

Life

Little is known of the early life of Timothy Salofacioius. In 460, Timothy Salofacioius came to the patriarchal throne after emperor Leo expelled Patr. Timothy II Aelurus, a Monophysite, who did not accept the decisions of the Fourth Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon. With the banishment of Timothy II, the schism between the Chalcedonians and non-Chalcedonians in the Church of Alexandria became final and after which the patriarchal appointments of the two churches diverged. Patr. Timothy Salofacioius ruled the doctrinally divided Church of Alexandria peacefully for the next sixteen years.

In late 475, the new emperor Basiliscus, who had usurped the imperial throne from emperor Zeno, recognized Timothy Aelurus as the rightful bishop of Alexandria and condemned "the innovation in the faith which was made at Chalcedon". The kindly and popular Patr. Timothy Salofacioius retired to his monastery in the Alexandria suburb of Canopus. However, this usurpation is not recognized by the Chalcedonian Church of Alexandria.

However, Timothy Aelurus remained the patriarch for only a few years, reposing in late 477. Upon Timothy Aelurus' death, emperor Zeno, who had regained the imperial throne in August 476, restored Timothy Salofacioius to the patriarchal throne of Alexandria, expelling Peter Mongus, who was Timothy Aelurus' chosen successor.

Patr. Timothy III Salofacioius remained patriarch of Alexandria until his repose in 481.